If Anne Frank Had a Gun
I am often asked why Jews went like sheep to the slaughter during the Holocaust. The question falsely assumes it was possible to resist, but Jews failed to do so.
The Amidah of the High Holy Days - Sovereignty and Forgiveness
The Amidah for the High Holy Days features thematic additions for the Days of Awe. One significant addition on Rosh Hashanah is “M’loch” – a prayer that celebrates the coronation of God as the Ultimate Ruler.
The Music of the Rosh HaShanah Amidah
Each year as I prepare for the High Holy Days, I return to the familiar melodies that make up our Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services.
Celebrating Layers of Meaning on Simchat Torah
On Simchat Torah, I watch as the Torah scroll is carefully unfurled onto a series of long connected tables – the text so much more than designs scattered on parchment.
It’s a New Year, So Ask Lots of Questions
Questions are the lifeblood of learning and there is no better time to ask them then now.
5 Last-Minute Ways to Work Civic Engagement Into Your High Holidays
This year, the High Holidays fall a month and a half before midterm elections, providing an opportunity for our community to reflect on the past year and make decisions about our future.
What’s Sephardic About the High Holidays?
What do dates, pomegranates, apples, spinach, squash, pumpkin, beets, scallions, and maybe even, the cheek meat of a fish have to do with Rosh HaShanah?
How to Declutter Your Soul During the High Holidays
The Days of Awe offer us opportunities to consider how we spend our days and what brings us joy. This work is precisely what we need to be doing at this season.
Two Musicians and a Liturgist: Creating Music for the New Year
Learn the backstory of how a new song, “Creation Sings,” grew from the collaboration among two musicians and a liturgist.
If Abraham Was on Social Media: Lessons for the High Holidays
I wondered recently about the patriarch Abraham’s Facebook page. Would he have posted selfies with Isaac? What would his page say about him? What do ours say about us?